Te Mata Estate - Hawkes Bay - New Zealand

Te Mata Estate - Hawkes Bay - New Zealand

  12:54    Stu.

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Peter Cowley - immaculately presented winemaker - of Hawke's Bays Te Mata Estate was in town recently. I took the opportunity to catch up with Peter and taste through a range of current releases. Thanks to Te Mata distributor red+white for the opportunity.

Notes are as written on the day, minor touch-ups and lyrical flourishes the only additions.

Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2014 13% $23

Vaietal: gooseberry, grassy, fresh aromatic herb (thyme). Good acid balance; crunchy acid on show - freshness; touch of texture and long on the finish 92

Cape Crest Sauvignon Blanc 2013 14% $29

Peter Cowley: In the mid-90s all barrel ferment; 85% SB with a touch of Semillon. Bone dry, fruit there - touch of structure (Peter).

 

Barrel work evident here; softened the aromatics, creamy with vanilla flourishes. Cream, vanilla, whiff of smokey note and flinty touches. Again, softer proposition. Long on a finish with crunchy apple acid. 93/4

Te Mata Estate Chardonnay 2013 13.5% $28

One third is b/f, a third goes through malo. It's clean, stone fruit, citrus - classic Chardonnay. Touch of barrel work evident there; closed - bit of spice (cinnamon) and vanilla; citrus to sharpen up the palate. Finishes clean, bit of meal and stone fruit. 90/1

Te Mata Elston Chardonnay 2013 14% $38-40

Oak here more evident, touch of toast; meal, melon, bread/patisserie. Barrel work, fuller of body, stone fruit (grilled), touch of phenolic/ texture - not overly ‘fruit some’ - but that’s no bad thing IMO. Good length, full and pretty broad. 92/3 

Te Mata Gamay Noir 2014 13% $23

About 50% whole bunch, a week in tank and then into old oak for three months - bottled.

Carries that floral, cherry, soft berry aromatics (redolent of some carbonic) with that gummy/berry character, touch of herb. Soft, berry character on the palate too - also a touch of structure/ grip present. More than just your easy-going ‘booj’ or nouveau Gamay. Some intent. Good lingering cherry finish. 91/2

Te Mata Estate Syrah 2013 $23-25

Sees a splash of Viognier, into 15% new oak for 12months. Sourced from a couple of different vineyard plots, some younger vines (planted about 2001/2). Berry, touch of spice - clove and cinnamon in the main; Structure, core of tannin that weaves its way through the palate; graphite, tannin - powdery/chalky - comes on toward the back palate. A veritable bargain at mid-$20s 91+

Bullnose Syrah 2013 $50

Off of a single vineyard, about 25 y.o., 30% new oak - 16m in barrel. Briar, red fruit, cedar oak; rub of sandy tannin, beautiful graphite tannin structure, framework to age. Cassis, fine/powdery tannin on show here - superb wine. 94

Merlot/Cabernets 2013 14% $25

Plum, berrie, hints of pencil shaving oak; powdery tannin, again structure here is exquisite. Tannin seems to firm up in the mouth. 93+

Awatea Cabernets/Merlot 2013 13.5% $42

Approximately 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and the balance being Cabernet Franc. Cedary oak here, chocolate and vanilla creme; sweeter floral flourishes tone down the bass a little. Tannin here finer, lovely chalky rub; acid touch of present - tannin drives the length, builds - it’s all about structure. Exquisite for sub $50 92/3

Coleraine 13.5% $90

Tighter, less expressive; A little like your grandpa’s study with rich wood, tobacco, old leather - you want to relax into this. Tannin seems finer again, exquisite, again structure; chocolate coated berries, length, intensity, power. Tightly coiled - think 20 years minimum. 95+

Tasted on: Wednesday 18th February, a Root day
Source: Tasting
Price: $ As stated
Alcohol: As stated
Website: http://temata.co.nz/

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Newton Forrest Cornerstone Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2006

Newton Forrest Cornerstone Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2006

  11:44    Stu.

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I'm so sorry I doubted you. There I was, prepared to give up on you, I popped you back in the fridge and forty-eight hours later, thankfully, we made up. Or, rather, I made amends.

I have previously written of the special place this wine holds in my heart, and on the occasion of the good lady's birthday I pulled this out of the wine fridge.

Initially leathery, chestnut and cedar, resinous almost. Touches of dried herb - rosemary perhaps - with a little spice. Seemed dried and stripped out, as if from a hot year.

Medium bodied, chocolate grain tannin, acid was out of balance in proportion to the fruit, that was sorely missing.

On that re-visit it was a different wine: the perfume, the elegance, harmony and balance. The components that I was missing on opening, that I fell in love with on that first occasion we met, many years before. 

The tannin had resolved to the graphite form so often seen in excellent Cabernet (and blends thereof, this wine being a blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Malbec at 45/32/23% respectively) wines. Integrated, it was on top form.

It just needed time. 93

Tasted on: Tuesday 23rd September, a Fruit Day
Source: Own Cellar
Price: $50ish
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.forrest.co.nz/collections/newtonforrest

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The Supernatural Sauvignon Blanc 2013

The Supernatural Sauvignon Blanc 2013

  15:51    Stu.

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I saw another review of this wine that had me chuckling along at references to some of the marketing 'spin' that accompanied the press release.

That aside, as a wine, it's of interest. I was inclined to remark whilst tasting: "think you know NZ Sauvignon Blanc?". Opens with familiar gooseberry and herbal wafts supported with tropical fruit. Possesses a milkiness, a creamy herbiness - inclined to suggest sage - with suggestions of cornichon.

The palate shows hints of flinty and smoke with a palate structure that does build a little. Textural nuances before fading away. Little real length to speak of. It was a wine I enjoyed - yes as a point of difference perhaps. 90

Tasted on: Sunday 22nd December, a Fruit Day
Source: Sample
Price: $?
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Crown Seal
Website: http://www.andco.co.nz/

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Newton Forrest Estate Cornerstone Hawkes Bay 2000

Newton Forrest Estate Cornerstone Hawkes Bay 2000

  07:40    Stu.

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People have an emotional attachment to wine, possibly more so than any other beverage - and I am excluding other forms of dependency with that statement.  With this in mind, is it possible to maintain objectivity about a particular wine when so much of you can be wrapped up in it's purchase and ultimately enjoyment?

I write this for, this wine, has a special place for me. The 2001 vintage was enjoyed as part of a special dinner at Gantley's just outside Queenstown whilst in Honeymoon. 

Whilst a different vintage - buyers error, relying on memory when purchasing at auction rather than written record - the enjoyment factor was still incredible. Again shared with my wife, this time at home, marking our 5th anniversary.

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (46%), Merlot (33%) and Merlot (21%); the intoxicating perfume just invites you in: chocolate, plum, some dark berry fruit and a faint edge of tobacco.

Time has been kind to the wine, a faint glimpse of oak remains and works into a smooth bodied palate.  There's none of the primacy of youth now; it's all gorgeous, smooth and integrated.  The finish shows extraordinarily silken tannin, and a length that belies the delicate flavour at its conclusion.  More please.   

Source: Auction, Langton's

Price: $?

Alcohol: 13.6% 

Closure: Cork

Website: www.forrest.co.nz

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